Acquittal of 23-year-old accused of rape after 2 years in prison

In a significant development, 23-year-old Victory Tasie has been acquitted by Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court. Tasie had been accused of raping his 19-year-old girlfriend and had spent two years behind bars awaiting trial.

The judge ruled in favor of Tasie following a no-case submission made by his counsel, Mrs Rukayat Owolabi, dated March 19, 2024. Justice Soladoye emphasized that the prosecution failed to meet the burden of proving the defilement allegation against Tasie.

Critical to the decision was the testimony of the alleged survivor, Tasie’s girlfriend, who stated in court that she was not raped by Tasie and that they were in a consensual relationship.

The judge highlighted that the survivor clarified she was not a minor when she became pregnant and affirmed the consensual nature of their relationship. The no-case submission by the defense effectively led to Tasie being discharged and acquitted.

The charges against Tasie, brought by the state government, alleged that he had defiled a minor. However, the girlfriend’s testimony contradicted this, confirming she was of legal age at the time of the relationship.

In her statement, the girlfriend reiterated that Tasie was her boyfriend, and the intimacy between them was not based on coercion but mutual consent.